You still have things to do
by Catriinaa
Summary: After the six paths of pain, Nagato, destroyed a part of Konoha. Kakashi is troubled and pained by the sight...and his father's words. What is it he needs to do?
1. Waking up is such a struggle

_Looks like it's not your time yet_

_You still have things to do_

_Thank you for forgiving me...Now I can move on... I can finally see your mother again_

It started with vibrations rumbling in his throat as he tightened his eyes even more shut. He lifted his arm and positioned his fingers at his temple and slowly rubbed hoping the pain would just leave him alone. His lips parted slightly to release the vibrations in his throat as a tiresome groan. He tried to relax himself as he slowly opened his eye so it could adjust to the blinding rays of the summer sun peaking through the gap of the curtains. Black holes started to appear in his vision that the light had stolen away from him. He dropped his hand from his head and let it limply hang over the side of the bed as he tilted his head so the light wouldn't attack and worsen his sight any more. He stayed still watching the ceiling waiting for the gaps in his vision to come back. He knew he couldn't stay like this forever, his muscles were already starting to lock into this position, which meant getting up would be more of a task then what it should be. His brows pulled together while he let out an irritating sigh when he started to tense his abs to heave him off of his back and into a lazy looking sitting position. It was more of a struggle than he thought it would be. His hand ran through his crazy silver bed hair whilst he smiled to himself thinking just how pathetic he must have looked. An elite jounin, one of the best in the village, struggling to lift himself out of bed..."Yes, incredibly pathetic" he whispered.

The village was still in ruins as it was only a couple of days ago that the six paths of Pain, from the Akatsuki, had attacked, although to Kakashi it would always be remembered as the day he spoke to his father. It was a difficult topic that he flinched at. He isn't the type to think about the future, well his own future that is. He liked where he was now, a top rank ninja serving the Hokage and helping the village. He trained successful ninja and is proud to have been their sensei. But his father's words still linger in his mind. _You still have things to do_. He never wanted to be Hokage, he was never really up for that job. Kakashi shook his head. After physical torture of getting out of bed he certainly didn't want to torture himself mentally, forcing an answer to spring into his mind. Another sigh escaped his lungs, though this one had a hint of disappointment. He needed air, fresh air from outside. He needed to break free from his stuffy apartment and make himself useful. Help with the rebuilding of Konoha as it seemed Tsunade wasn't going to give him a mission for a while. Kakashi slowly eased himself upwards onto his feet and made his way across the room to get changed into the full uniform. Unfortunately the lack of sleep left him dizzy, so he stumbled his way across the room, a hand resting against the wall in case he just happened to fall over. "Yes, incredibly pathetic" he mouthed with a delicate crooked smile.


	2. It will be an Uncomfortable Summer

Kakashi thought that when he opened the front door and breathed in the outside air, he thought it would make him fell refreshed, awake and cured from the throbbing pain intruding his mind. But of course, Mother Nature just had to be so cruel striking the suns beams straight onto Konoha making the temperature exceedingly uncomfortable.

When Kakashi drew in, what he hoped to be refreshing a refreshing breath, his mouth dried up as he found himself coughing and slightly gasping for real air. This summer was going to be dangerously red which wasn't going to help the villagers and ninja with the rebuilding.

After only have walked down the stairs to the street, sparkling beads of sweat were already starting to form on Kakashi's skin. He wiped away the trickling droplet on his brow and looked down at his fingertip. The amount of moisture surprised him. He had only walked down a flight of stairs and that was in the shade. "Better take it slow" he concluded to himself. He rummaged around in his back pouch to find one of the Make out Tactics books which would entertain him on the slow walk down. He took one last look at his apartment and then began reading.

Kakashi's apartment was on the outskirts of the attack so it was in remarkable good condition. He thought it would be best if he helped out at the centre of the disaster scene, more work meant less boredom of doing absolutely nothing. He'd rather keep himself busy on an awful task then skip out, plus the village really needed all the help they could get, especially in this weather.

As he walked down to his chosen location, the closer he got to his location the more times he looked up from his beloved book. The conditions of houses just got worse until the point where what was once a house was now just a pile of dust and rubble. Feeling disrespectable, Kakashi slid the book back into his back pouch. He stood for about a minute looking round at the massacre, the inner corners of his eyebrows turned upwards in sorrow. He dropped his head and closed his eyes, still standing in the middle of what was supposed to be a street. Villagers politely moved around him knowing that he was feeling the pain that they were feeling for the people who had possibly died in what were once houses here. Kakashi opened his eyes into tiny slits. His vision was blurred from the water welling up which was ready to spill over and dampen the cloth that covered the bottom half of his face.

His thoughts at that very second suddenly disappeared as a hand firmly grasped his shoulder. Kakashi's head shot straight up and his eyes swiftly widened looking rather panicked. He spun his head round hastily only to find an amused Tenzou smirking at him. Kakashi shrugged the hand off his shoulder and turned his body to Tenzou, whilst taking a step backwards to give himself some space to pull some thoughts together and counter the smirk which was making Kakashi look bad, "You shouldn't creep up on a man of my age, how very disrespectful" Kakashi shook his head as he thought that would make his poor acting look perhaps satisfactory.

"Of course Senpai, how could I have been so inconsiderate to a man of your age, now tell me, how old are you again?" Tenzou sarcastically smirked. He was finding this incredibly amusing. It wasn't everyday he got to make fun of him. It was always the other way round.

Kakashi being embarrassed but too, apparently to other people, cool to show it, simply turned around and started to walk away thinking to himself, _how pathetic_. He never usually showed emotion to other people. He was more aloof and liked it that way. Having people too close to you could get hurt because of you.

Kakashi let out an irritating cough, caused by the dryness, which had been bothering his throat for a while now, of course politely holding a hand out in front even though he did have his mask on. He didn't realise that Tenzou had caught up to him when he realised he held a flask of water out in front of him. Kakashi looked at the flask and then to Tenzou's face of which he wore an awkward looking smile. Kakashi relaxed himself and took the flask with a smile. Kakashi knew it was Tenzou's attempt of an apology.

Tenzou properly smiled back at Kakashi. He could tell Kakashi knew it was his attempt of an apology.


	3. Old Friends

The two friends dawdled down to the centre of disaster together as Kakashi found out in one of their short conversations that Tenzou was going to help with the clearing and rebuilding too. Tenzou was concerned for Kakashi as it was only a couple of days ago his Senpai had amazingly come back from the dead. He didn't want to bring that conversation up, even though he was curious and had a few question for him. If it was uncomfortable for him to talk about it, then it had to be worse for Kakashi himself. So Tenzou stayed out of that area and let his friend do what he wanted. Even if he did say something Kakashi would just make something up to dodge his advice. The two avoided the uncomfortable zone and stuck to light conversations that had no relevance to anything at all.

Kakashi was actually glad Tenzou had bumped into him. His pointless conversations were keeping his head at ease and unclouded. It was nice. Kakashi just walked and listened to his Kohai babble on about nothing. He was thankful of Tenzou because even though Kakashi has certainly befriended a lot of ninja within the village, Tenzou is the one that he has had an actual past with. Of course Kakashi was still tense with certain conversations, but at least he had someone he could be content with to actually enjoy simple exchanges that normally he would evade, like the ones whenever he bumps into Gai. This just made Kakashi bubble over with happiness as he accidently lightly chuckled out loud which interrupted his Kohai. Tenzou stared at Kakashi with wide eyes, he was completely stunned. He had never seen Kakashi do something like that. Of course he had heard his Senpai laugh before, that wasn't strange. It was the fact he just burst out into what was a genuine chuckle. Tenzou was memorized by this chorus of laughter.

Kakashi was unable to stop himself. He was just so elated right now beyond words; he had never felt like this before. Kakashi had to stop walking whilst he then waved his hands in front of him at Tenzou, "I'm so sorry" he chuckled, finding it terribly difficult to pull himself together. The corners of Tenzou's lips curled upwards into a proud smile. If Kakashi wasn't wearing his mask, he bet he would actually see a gleaming pearly white smile. Tenzou enthusiastically beamed a cheesy smile at him and told him it was alright. He gave the unstoppable Kakashi a shove on the shoulder which was practically a plead for him to keep on walking.

The burning sun was at its highest point by the time they reached their destination. Kakashi and Tenzou had finally overcome their fits and were now both looking serious down at the mass of destruction. Tenzou was simply pained which showed in his features whilst Kakashi looked like his heart had a part ripped out of it. He even started to go white. Tenzou gave him a friendly nudge to move him on as the other jounin below were waving and calling them down so they could be given their instructions. It was Genma and Raido who were in charge and waving them down. The two tried to remove the thoughts and then quickened their pace since they had defiantly lost a lot of time throwing their heads back. They stood in front of the familiar faces, regarded each other and stood formally awaiting their orders.

"Hmm... where shall we put the both of you?"

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_I'm sorry that this story is going at a very slow speed_

_It's just that's the way I want it (:_


	4. Emotions Erupt

"I guess you can just help out wherever you can really... you can help some of the pretty girls over there" his senbon playful rolled to the other side of Genma's lips as his tilted his head to the right with a cheeky wink. Raido sighed in annoyance and a hint of embarrassment whilst Kakashi and Tenzou simply walked away from the horny one. They both had picked a site they were going to work on together until...  
"Hey! Yamato! Come here will ya!" Genma called across the space.  
Tenzou turned to look over his shoulder, Genma was waving him over. He glanced at Kakashi and then began to jog over to him. Kakashi waited in the shade sitting patiently on a piece of broken wall looking in different directions trying hard to keep himself busy. Tenzou was back and looking apologetic.  
"Sorry Senpai, I have to help somewhere else. They're taking advantage of me and my skill" he moaned flinging his hands around with frustration.  
"It's alright Tenzou", Kakashi lied with a fake smile.  
"Okay... but please don't call me that Senpai" Tenzou spoke awkwardly before he left Kakashi on his own.

Kakashi opened his eye and watched him leave. It wasn't alright. Who was going to distract him now? He was alone.

Feeling slightly depressed he sighed, but then again he pushed himself on to his feet with his hands against the rough wall knowing he had to do something today or he would be seen as a disgrace. He began removing the smaller pieces of rubble and putting them where he was told to put them by the helping villagers. The first 3 journeys there and back kept his mind busy, though now he knew what he was doing and now in routine his mind began to wander down that path.

Death was strange. It isn't like what people say with going into the light and all that nonsense. When he died and found himself next to his father. It seemed like he was there so he could do the one thing he had to do, which was to speak with his father, tell him he was proud of him. Kakashi was ashamed of his younger years when he thought of his father in a horrible way.

_How could I have thought that about my own father?_  
Kakashi began to feel the pain in his head again.  
_Why couldn't I of stayed with my father just that bit longer? _  
He picked up a larger piece of wall.  
_What do you want me to do father?_  
The pain was throbbing, he started to breathe heavily.  
_Why is this so damn difficult to understand!?_  
Sweat formed on with skin and his face turned a ghostly white. Vision in his eye was impaired and the breathing became hyperventilating. He had no control. The rubble slipped from his fingers and crashed to the ground. Villagers and jounin finally became aware and rushed over to the collapsing Kakashi. It all started to black. Blurring in and out of consciousness he hit the dirt. He could see vague images of people running towards him as his breathing became slower and slower, heartbeat pounding less and less. His eyelid drooped slowly blocking the sight. He lay still in the bleak darkness. Silence.

_Why is it so difficult?_

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_Hi guys! well I've made Kakashi lose it. If your reading please review, will be much appreciated :D Thanks :)_

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	5. White Walls

His eyes started to flicker and fingers started to twitch. The infectious black fog masking his eyes dissolved into a striking red that pained him. He stirred. Moving and stretching his muscles, gradually opening his eye to reveal a white room. Inhaling through his dry chapped lips and exhaling through the nose he didn't think for one second he was dead. Death didn't take him to a white light. A faint beeping was materializing in his ears. He blinked lazily, his movement slow whispering to himself, "The Hospital".  
"That's right Kakashi" someone answered, breezing into the room. Kakashi knew exactly who it was. The voice belonged to the beautiful blonde with the largest bosom in the village. Lady Hokage, Tsunade. "How are you feeling?" She questioned as she picked up the clipboard at the foot of his bed  
"I feel like... I have maggots eating away at my brain". His voice was cracked and wheezy.  
Kakashi tried to raise himself up to rest his back against the pillow. He failed. A sudden rush stung his head.  
"Don't get up Kakashi", she gently pushed back down with two hands on both shoulders, "don't want you blacking out again do we?" A rhetorical question, Kakashi knew the answer but he was curious as to what was written on his clipboard.  
"What happened to me?"  
"Well...Shizune thought you might have pushed yourself to hard physically. But that's not the case is it? You've been out for 2 days and before then you only died a couple of days before that. It must have strained physically yes, but it also would have had an effect on the brain mentally. Shizune told me about her experience of her death"  
"What was hers like?"He asked, now suddenly curious.  
"She said she saw the best times of her life. The things that she never regretted"  
Tsunade watched Kakashi. He had turned his head away, looking out the window with sparkling eyes.  
"I don't expect you to tell me what you saw", he shifted slightly to look at her standing strong,  
"though I do advise you to talk to someone Kakashi. Whatever you saw is obviously something hurting you and if you can't deal with it alone, at least loosen the burden and talk about."  
Kakashi tightly closed his eyes trying hard not to let the river flow. Tsunade put a firm hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently, "If there is anything you need, you know you can ask" she nearly whispered. She straitened up and started to head back towards the door."  
"Some water"  
She spun round gazing at the silver haired man slightly surprised, that quickly then faded in to a smile.  
"Okay" she nodded and left.

If he really wanted water then he had to sit up. _I've been too pathetic over the past days; I won't let it happen again_. He grasped the sides of the bed with able hands and raised himself up once more. He could feel the pain coming back. He wouldn't let it invade. Lifting himself backwards he rewarded his effort with his back resting limply against the pillow. He grinned to himself, and regretted it. His lip split. He dabbed a finger against it and saw patches of red now stained on his print. Tsunade waltzed back in and looked at Kakashi with disappointment, but before she could say anything the idiot in the bed apologised, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. She handed him the water and told him she had to go straight away to have a meeting with the elders. She paused at the door, "By the way", she turned her head,"you're allowed visitors now".

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_I hope you are enjoying it. Thanks to** KakashiKrazed** and** Prescripto13** for the past reviews. I do appreciate them as they do encourage me. So even if it's a few words please do review._


	6. Purple bags and a red cheek

Medical ninja popped their heads round the door every so often. Kakashi just gazed out the window having not even moved from his sitting position. The clicking of heels up and down, up and down was sending Kakashi into insanity. He didn't let it show, he just kept on gazing out the window to the dehydrated Konoha. Looking at the piercing sun was keeping his focus. On the other hand, it was also making his eyes horribly bloodshot. More clicking was heard coming up the corridor deafening his ears making him clench at the sheets hard, lips pressed together. He could sense them coming closer, now outside the door, they were outside the door. Kakashi nearly ripped out a growl that was rumbling in his throat, but was stopped by the sight of his concerned Kohai.  
"Senpai, why is it you're always here?" Tenzou half teased leaning against the door frame casually. Kakashi's face dropped obviously not impressed. Tenzou chuckled at his reaction and invited himself to sit on the seat next to his bed, fold his arms and get serious.  
"What's wrong with you?" Tenzou questioned with a worried expression. Kakashi simply turned away from him evading his eyes. His expression was pained from thoughts. The regular pain was swelling up again. He keeled over, grasping hands full of his ragged silver hair, trembling, his teeth grinding together. Tenzou was getting slightly sick of this, seeing his friend like this. He needed Kakashi to go back to normal. There was only way that he could do that.  
Yamato slowly stood up, eyes closed, head turned to the floor, a hard line for a mouth. He clenched a fist, grasped Kakashi's chin, to make him look at him, with the other and tried to knock some sense into his Senpai.  
"I'm sorry Senpai", Tenzou's choked "it was for your own good". His fists trembled; he couldn't bare it any longer. Tenzou woodenly left the room with long strides. Kakashi placed on hand on his cheek, it was burning from the strike. He wanted to call after Tenzou but couldn't string a sentence together. Instead he bit his bottom lip hard.

The burning fire was beginning to set as oranges and pinks filled the atmosphere above the village. Kakashi was still sitting forward looking at the sheets. He was beginning to look pale and started to get purple shadows beneath his eyes. He sat there in silence breathing evenly. More time passed.

The sky was now black but shimmering with sparkling gems. Kakashi was still in the same position. He could hear someone coming up the corridor. It had been a while since anyone did. His head rose up a little so he could see who would possibly come through his door. Someone did. She flowed into the room with a gleaming smile that lit the room.  
"Ahh...isn't the sky just beautiful toni...KAKASHI! What happened to your face?!"  
A flush of embarrassment rippled through him as he swiftly touched his hand to his cheek and swung his head round away from her. Sakura stood at the end of his bed glaring at him, hands on her hips.  
He wasn't going to answer her. She sighed in defeat, "Fine then sensei, be like that then, now I just need to check your papers...hmm...right...okay then, now before I go do you need anything sensei?" Sakura muttered.  
Kakashi dropped his hand and turned to look at her, "Tomorrow..."  
"Yes?" she encouraged him.  
"...could you...get Yamato...please" he asked getting quieter with each word.  
"Of course sensei" she smiled sweetly and left room.

Kakashi sighed with happiness and looked out into the night sky. _It is beautiful tonight_.

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This took me a while. Sorry ^^;

I've been busy with exams etc.

Anyway thanks to KakashiKrazed, EvilBlanket and Prescripto13 for the reviews.

Please review, it does encourage me :D

Update - changed a few words :)


	7. Hole in the heart

He didn't sleep that night. The hole in his head was still eating at him and what happened the day before with Tenzou had kept him worried and ashamed. Kakashi even shed tiny water droplets whilst he hung his head and bit his bottom lip trying not to make a sound. Those few tears were a wakeup call.

The sun was rolling over the horizon lighting up the sky to bring day back. Dusty pinks and pastel blues blended together above the fiery orange creating a beautiful contrast which made the corners of Kakashi's lips curl up slightly into a fragile smile. It then suddenly dropped when he could sense a familiar chakra standing at the door.

Tenzou stared at Kakashi's back warily; he didn't know what was going to happen today. Kakashi didn't face him. He was slightly scared to open the door to his memory. Once again emotions spilled over, but in a different way. A single tear slowly tickled his cheek as it ran its course to drip off his chin. Tenzou still stared at him though this time looking worried as he saw the tiny sparkle fall on to the hospital sheet.

"Sen..." Tenzou was cut off.  
"I'm sorry Te...Yamato..." Kakashi found it hard to breathe. Tenzou edged closer to his breaking friend. "I want to tell you...what I saw..."  
"What you saw?" Tenzou questioned trying to encourage him whilst edging closer.  
"Yes...on that day" Kakashi got quieter and quieter.  
"That day?" Tenzou lowered himself into the chair beside the bed and sat forward so he could hear his whispering Senpai. Kakashi gulped hard to give his throat some moisture for him to speak easier. He pivoted round towards Tenzou, though still not looking him in the eye.  
"The day I died" he spoke with a glint of confidence. Tenzou sat forward, listening intently. "On that day I saw... my father" Kakashi's voice broke just on the end, he jerked slightly scrunching his face trying to force the pain away. He carried on, "When I was younger I thought terrible things about him...things that shall now be locked away. I told him in the end that I was proud of him", Kakashi started to relax, the tension leaking away from him face and shoulders.  
"Well that's a good thing then isn't it?" Tenzou caught Kakashi off guard. He swung his head upwards looking at the puzzled Kohai. "You told him what you think now and have moved on with it...so that's a good thing, yes?" he questioned.  
"It is!" Kakashi blurted out,"...but that's not it...something he said has been bothering me". Kakashi was once again looking at the hospital sheets.  
"So what is it?" Tenzou pushed, watching Kakashi's movements.  
"You still have things to do" He whispered. Tenzou's brows pulled together with confusion. "That's what he said" Kakashi continued. Tenzou sat back in the chair resting his head in his hand in thought. The two sat in silence for a few minutes.  
"You've been having frequent headaches...you had a panic attack..." Tenzou mumbled to himself, Kakashi watching him. "So...do you miss him? Your father I mean." Tenzou asked. Kakashi shifted to look at the ceiling as if he was hoping the heavens would give him an answer. He let out a quick sigh and dropped his back down to look into Tenzou's eyes to answer the question.  
"Yes..." He smiled with sadness.  
"Well then... that explains the headaches etcetera..." Tenzou's hands moved in a circular motion to emphasise the etcetera. Kakashi just gazed at him, telepathically telling him to explain. Tenzou half sighed half chuckled at his Senpai. "When you miss someone you feel like a piece of yourself is missing..." Tenzou waited for a response from Kakashi. He received a slow nod. "Some things that you have said seems to me like you now have a huge hole in your heart. Therefore, you miss your father so much that you're actually making yourself ill because of it". Kakashi's eyes widened as he came to understand. "As for your father's words...I think you're thinking about it way too much Senpai!" Tenzou chuckled. Kakashi looked at him petrified.  
"What do you mean?!" He asked frantically.  
"Oh come on Senpai...it can be anything! Firstly, you're too young to die in the first place! I don't think your father wanted to see you go so soon. It could even be anything as simple as...let me think..." Tenzou stroked his chin lightly while Kakashi waited with anticipation. An idea sprang to Tenzou's mind as he looked slyly at Kakashi. "Well Senpai... you're still single. Maybe he wants you to finally get a girlfriend!" Tenzou's head was thrown back with laughter. A bright pink filled Kakashi's cheeks as he panicked to string a sentence together. Tenzou pulled himself together, sat forward, wiping a tear from his eye and then sat smiling at his Senpai. Kakashi peeked at Tenzou and gave a smile and a light chuckle.  
"You know... maybe you're right... I'm so pathetic!" Kakashi beamed scratching the back of his neck with slight awkwardness. He felt like such a fool thinking and acting in that way for the past few days. He would have never of guessed it could have been that simple.

Kakashi was in the hospital for only two more days as he swiftly recovered. He spent the days after fixing Konoha with Tenzou. He was back to normal, cheerful, aloof...and apparently cool. The hole that Tenzou had described was healing over. He missed his father, but he cleared that up by visiting the memorial every day.

Unfortunately, now Tenzou's words lingered in his head...

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Well there you go.. maybe there will be a sequel.

Sorry it sort just suddenly ended. I didn't really know what to do and it just happened..

So I'm sorry if it's not a great end.

Thanks to KakashiKrazed, Prescripto13, Evilblanket for the previous chapter reviews, much appreciated! ^^


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